Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC One X - Specs, Dimensions and Screen

We compare the specs, prices, screens and the rest of two of the most important Android phones of the year. Don't fancy a read? Watch the video comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X.

Finally, the most anticipated Android phone of the year is here - the Samsung Galaxy S3 has arrived. But how does it compare to the current king of Android, the HTC One X? Both have quad-core processors, high-end 4-plus inch 720p screens and slim bodies. But which will we remember as the most important Android phone of 2012? We look into the specs to find out which is destined to be king.

The world of contract deals is diverse and - quite often - a little confusing. However, the SIM-free price is much simpler. The HTC One X costs a good £50 less than the Samsung Galaxy S3 at present, suggesting HTC is keen to compete with Samsung's Android crown.

To get either phone on a contract, you'll have to pay at least £35 a month if you want to get the phone for free direct from one of the main phone networks. Thanks to the huge demands for the Samsung Galaxy S3, that figure is likely to be much closer to £40-45. However, phone deals change all the time so keep your eyes peeled over the coming months.

Body and dimensions

Samsung Galaxy S3 - 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm, 133g, plastic

HTC One X - 134 x 70 x 8.9 mm, 130g, plastic

Rules are forming around the making of ultra-large screen mobiles. They tend to be 8-9mm thick, weigh between 125g and 140g and are made of plastic rather than metal, in order to keep the weight down. The Samsung Galaxy S3 has - perhaps disappointingly - subscribed to this formula. It comes in glossy white and faux brushed metal, although the surface is one hundred per cent plastic. Like the Samsung Galaxy S2, its battery cover is a very thin sheet of plastic. It's hard-wearing enough if you treat it fairly well, but doesn't really have that high-end, ultra-premium feel.

The HTC One X uses a plastic body too, but gets a slightly more impressive sense of solidity. This is because it doesn't give you access to the battery. It's all sealed up. Practicality-wise, it's not so great, but form-wise its a definite plus. For those long-haul trips, though, the Samsung Galaxy S3 lets you take a few spare batteries with you.

Screen

Samsung Galaxy S3 - 4.7in Super AMOLED, 720p resolution

HTC One X - 4.7in Super IPS, 720p resolution

Just as we found in our comparison of the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy Nexus, comparing these screens comes down to a question of display type rather than tech specs. Both screens are 4.7in across, and both use a 720p display.

The big difference is that while the HTC One X uses and Super IPS display, the Samsung Galaxy S3 uses a Super AMOLED panel. IPS screens use backlights, where the AMOLED type has light-emitting pixels.

AMOLED looks better in dark conditions, where a traditional backlight becomes visible in areas of black, but we found that the HTC One X offers more accurate colour reproduction and whiter whites than the Super AMOLEDs we've seen. The HTC One X screen is also perilously close to the surface, making its image all the more vital-looking. They're close rivals, but we'd pick the One X at a pinch.

Power

Samsung Galaxy S3 - Quad-core 1.5GHz, Exynos chip

HTC One X - Quad-core Tegra 3

Both the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X have quad-core processors - which are already becoming the norm for top-end phones. The HTC One X uses the follow-up to the Tegra 2, which was used by many Android devices in 2011.

It's powerful, sure, but not quite as powerful as you might expect. The dual-core TI OMAP Samsung Galaxy Nexus processor beats it in some benchmarks, for example. The Samsung Galaxy S3 uses an Exynos 4412 quad-core 1.5GHz processor, which soundly beats the Tegra 3 across the board, just as the Samsung Galaxy S2 wiped out most of its processor competitors last year.

However, exactly what this power will mean in real terms is yet to be seen. Benchmarks are fine, but staring at charts and graphs sure gets dull pretty quick. The good news in practical terms is that quad-core processor like this let the phones handle high bit-rate 1080p video - and the Samsung is the clear winner here, with more advanced video codec support.

Storage

Samsung Galaxy S3 - 16/32/64GBGB, 1GB, microSD slot

HTC One X - 16/32GB, 1GB RAM

Huzzah - our fears have not been realised. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is staying in bed with the Android geek brigade and has packed in a microSD slot, making it super-simple and super-cheap to boost the internal memory. HTC left out this feature in the HTC One X.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 also offers a wide range of internal memory options - 16GB, 32GB 64GB. Of course, unless there's only a paltry price difference between them, you're much better off opting for the 16GB model and investing in a 32GB microSD card or two - one for music, one for movies perhaps.

This is a field in which the Samsung is the clear winner. There's a 64GB model, and with expandable storage, the 16/32GB HTC One X can't compete.

Vague Boy

April 4, 2012, 6:40 am

4 mentions of Apple or the iPhone in a (supposed) comparison of 2 Android phones.

"It's not going to challenge the status quo, as we hope the iPhone 5 will."

It will be interesting to see how much such a device would weigh.

Andrew_TR

April 4, 2012, 1:36 pm

Unfortunately, Apple won't buy us a golden toilet unless we reference them in every other paragraph.

Not really. Those iPhone nods will probably get the chop once this article is updated with officially-confirmed specs. It felt appropriate to take a "step back" approach given this is a pre-unveiling piece.

Fod

May 2, 2012, 4:34 pm

This reeks of traffc grabbing. The phone hasn't even been released yet and you're comparing rumoured specs to a device that's been on the market for over a month.

Yeah, give the impression that you have an exclusive early reveal to get all the lovely ad revenues.

pathetic.

Milo

May 4, 2012, 8:14 pm

Hang on, you haven't mentioned that the HTC will throw HD video to your TV wirelessly with a simple swipe of three fingers, and that it will output lossless audio via its pogo pins... that's a feature we need to see more of if Android is going to compete with Apples docking/music prowes.

eddie864

May 18, 2012, 6:44 pm

This review hasn't helped unfortunately. I'm torn really between the One X and the S3. I have an HTC Desire S and I love Sense 3.5; I'm told Sense 4 is lighter and more subtle which sounds ideal. Touchwiz isn't supposed to be as good. However it's 2 years until I can upgrade again so I've got to live with whatever I get for a while!

Tom001

May 24, 2012, 6:41 pm

First of all the galaxy s3 uses the 4412 exynos processor not 4212. Secondly what sources are you using? why havent you listed the original authors. Thirdly I can tell you that the 4412 is not faster than the tegra 3. They both run at the same frequency (the only diffference is transistor size, which makes the exynos more power efficient 32 nm and software optimization). The difference is in the gpu. The gpu is faster in the exynos, however its vertex and pixel shading performance is poor and this is where tegra 3 dominates. Its 3d capabilites are substantially better (more texture, shading, lighting effects). So in games such as gta 3, the game will look substantially better. If you look at Gl benchmark it will show you the difference.

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